Terminating a Rent Deduction Scheme (RDS) deduction 108-08130030

Before terminating a Rent Deduction Scheme (RDS) deduction, available options should be discussed with the customer such as:

• Have they changed their address?
• Yes, where do they live and who do they now pay rent to? Help the customer to update their address if required. See Updating address details for more information
• No, how are they going to continue to meet their rental obligations? Advise the customer they will need to contact the Housing Authority to make other arrangements and to re-start payments in the future . Services Australia cannot restart RDS deductions
• Do they need more money now? If they do, ask if they have they applied for an Advance Payment? For more information see Advances
• Do they need budgeting assistance? Do they know about Centrepay and how it can help them manage their money? See Centrepay for more information
• Have they heard about MoneySmart on the ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission) website? Money smart offers tips and tools to help make the most of your money. See the Resources page for a link to the Urgent money help section on the MoneySmart website for more information
• Do they need help from a Social Worker? See Social Work Services for more information
• Have they applied for a Crisis Payment? See Eligibility for Crisis Payment for more information

Does the customer want to continue with terminating their RDS deduction?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, procedure ends here

If a customer or housing authority, contacts Services Australia to ask for termination of an RDS deduction:, the Service Officer should:

• access the customers record, then the Payment Instruction Summary (PINS) screen, in the relevant host system (ISS/NSS/PEN/PGA/FAO)
• Key 'S' to select the deduction to be cancelled
• Press [Enter]. The Payment Instruction Direct Deduction (PIDD) screen will display

If data was keyed in error, delete housing payment details via the PIDD screen only. Do not use the action of delete (D) to terminate a deduction.

Note: housing authorities should contact the National Business Gateway > Confirmation Services helpdesk to request assistance to terminate a customer’s RDS deduction

To terminate the instruction, key in:

• Date of effect in the Start Date: field. (The RDS date of effect can be in the future)
• New deduction amount of '0.00' (or a single zero) in the Instruction Amount P.F. $: field
• Reason for termination in the Change Reason: field: (A change reason code must be given for a termination; use field help '?' for a list of acceptable codes). Do not select Customer Request Online (CRO), it is not applicable to RDS deductions
• Complete the Source: and DOR: fields
• Key 'I' for (Insert/Update) in the Action: field. (Do not use Action of 'D' (delete) to terminate an instruction)
• Press [Enter]. The PINS screen will display again

If a customer moves interstate, the change of region will automatically stop the Rent (RNT) deductions. If for some reason the deductions are still needed, the HA must send a new instruction. Any other deductions the customer has (LON, ARR or OHP) will not cease automatically and should be terminated manually if necessary.

• At the PINS screen key 'Y' in the Finished? field then press [Enter] to be taken to the Activity Results (AR) screen to be finalised. The Activity List (AL) screen will then display, or
• To correct or make further changes to the termination instruction key 'N' in the Finished? field and press [Enter], then repeat this procedure from Step 1

Note: additional terminations cannot be done until each activity is completed.

When a termination of government deductions is completed, details must be recorded on a DOC, using the Request cancellation of PINs Fast Note. Alternatively a manual DOC can be created as per following minimum standards:

In the SUM: field, cancel PINs

In the TXT: field

• Request cancellation of RDS dedn DOV:
• (HA Name) for (deduction type: ARR, LON, RNT, OHO,OHP) deduction to be cancelled
• Advised caller to contact the Housing Authority (HA) to discuss alternative arrangements to pay their rent. Add Yes, No, or NA if the customer is no longer payment government rent
• Advised caller they must lodge a new Deduction Authority form with the HA to restart the RDS deduction: Add Yes or No
• A letter will be sent to the customer advising them that their RDS deductions have been terminated